Stay By My Side
by kathrynlovejoy
Summary: Hermione Granger was not a believer of fate. She was not a superstitious being, and she loathed divination. Yet after the war a series of what can only be fated events occur, throwing her into the arms of an aristocratic young man, her sworn enemy.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Hermione Granger was never one to act upon impulse. Her actions were always derived from quickly calculated mental notes, which were always successful. She didn't believe in fate; she was not one who was superstitious. Divination and fortune telling was not a science as far as she was concerned. Yet when she bumped into Draco Malfoy in Diagon Alley in August of 1998, she felt as though maybe there was some kind of being forcing them together.

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was becoming a school again, that much was clear. It had been 4 months since the great battle that began the change in the wizarding world as it is today, and it was becoming unclear where the future would lead. The ministry of magic had appointed it's new minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Minerva McGonagall was now the official Head Mistress of Hogwarts.

Hermione was pondering this as she left Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes on her way to the Leaky Caldron; whereabouts she stumbled upon what fate had thrown her into.

Draco Malfoy only escaped Azkaban by the skin of his teeth, and further more the soul-sucking, fear-inducing dementors. He, his father and his mother had been given freedom instead of incarceration for donating a sizeable sum of their wealth to the school they had once been responsible for destroying. Had it not been for the cowardice of his father in betraying information on his once comrades, his family (if you could call it that) would not be allowed to return to the society that now ostracized him.

Draco sat with his head in his hands, outside Madam Malkin's Dress Robes. He had no parcels with him, and he still seemed visibly ill of health, with skin more pale than usual, and his face more pointed from weight loss. However his immaculate suit bore no wrinkles, and his shoes were still polished to the appropriate shine of the upper class.

Hermione would of continued on her way without stopping to pay him any attention, had it not been for the crowd of incoming middle-aged witches drawn to the idea of meeting part of the golden trio which forced her to turn abruptly causing her to drop her parcel of books.

"Oh bother," she muttered, dropping to her knees hurriedly to stuff the three volumes of _The Standard Book of Spells _back into their paper bag_. _Draco looked up at the sound and too noticed the flurry of oncoming women. He dropped down and scooped up the books, ushering an astounded and very bushy Hermione into the robe store.

He hid her behind his shadow, the two of them pressed against each other in a matter too personal for sworn enemies. Her breathing was rapid, but his calm breathing slowed hers down. He had his hand placed on the wall beside her head with his legs flush against her, noses inches apart. And that was the moment Hermione knew fate was having it's way with her, because in that moment thoughts of her boyfriend and going to meet him for lunch no longer seemed important. She wanted to stay pushed against this wall hiding from an onslaught of fans forever.

The women outside hurried along past the doorframe, unable to see the two of them huddled beside the door. Draco smirked and pulled away from Hermione, much to her dismay. For some reason she rather liked the way it felt to touch him.

Draco cleared his throat and looked at Hermione awkwardly. Being brought back to her senses she shook her head clear and nodded to the ferret. Sheepishly she opened the door with the ting-a-ling of the bell above it, looked right and left before dashing out of the shop, not a word spoken to the aristocratic young man.

* * *

><p>Ron looked at his watch hurriedly from his table in the dimly lit tavern, tapping his foot impatiently. What could have caused her to be late? He only had a half hour lunch break today, as auror training was very rigorous. Hermione was always on time to their lunches, early even. She always saved their table over near the window that looked out over muggle London, but because she was late, Ron had had to grab a table quickly on the opposite side, near the kitchens, where a faint odor of rotting eyeballs gave an unpleasing aroma. He let out a sigh and looked impatiently at the door.<p>

As if on cue Hermione hurried into the store, her arms piled high with parcels. She looked flushed and a little more frazzled than usual, but Ron paid little attention. Standing up he grabbed her parcels from her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, before sitting back down.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to run from some crazy middle-aged women bent on getting my autograph," she explained, taking her seat.

Ron replied hesitantly, "That's okay love, I was just a little worried, habit and what not."

"How was training today?" she asked, looking up from her lap where she just placed her napkin.

"Terrific, we were assigned partners today. I've been assigned Fay Dunbar as my partner, I can't believe we never talked to her properly, what with her sharing a dorm with you and all."

"I'd forgotten all about Fay. I kind of wish I'd made more girlfriends from Gryffindor, what with Lavender passing away," she said. The two were momentarily brought back to May 2nd, where they saw Lavender's lifeless body being attacked by Fenrir Greyback.

"I wish we could have done more to help her," he sighed, reaching across the table and holding Hermione's hand.

"Ron! You know what that counselor said about the war. You aren't allowed to think about how you could've changed your actions, because you can't change what happened. Lavender knew the dangers, and unfortunately she didn't survive. Its cold and hard, but it's the truth," she scolded. "You can't save everyone."

"You're right."

"I'm always right," Hermione grinned, teasingly.

"Well I haven't found fault in you yet," Ron teased back. "Although… there is the hair…"

Hermione smacked him playfully on the arm and raised her hand to Hannah Abbott, the matron, ready to order her usual. Lunch ran smoothly for the twenty-five minutes they had together, and when it ended, Ron apparated to the ministry, and Hermione to Hogsmeade where she made her way back to the castle, parcels in tow.

The path from Hogsmeade was beginning to show signs of new life. The trees were becoming green again and the sounds of wildlife could be heard. The sun beat hungrily on Hermione's shoulders. She admired the smell of the grass as the light wind blew it across the field next to the well-trodden path, as it lead up to the gates of her home.

As she neared the gates she let out a sigh, noticing no one was there to inspect her before her admittance onto the grounds. Withdrawing her wand, she flicked her wrist and her familiar otter leapt out the end of it's length, twisting and swimming through the air. Its silvery wisps following it as it set off in search of someone to let her in. With another flick she conjured an armchair and flopped into it as she waited.

Her skin was beginning to glow a faint red when finally someone came to let her in. She stood when she saw the figure from a distance, and she erased the armchair into thin air. She tidied herself up a bit, tucking her long hair behind her ears, and putting the sleeve of her singlet back onto her shoulder. As the figure drew closer she was bought to the realization again that fate might be acting against her- Draco Malfoy stood facing her from the other side of the gates.

"Granger," he said coolly, unlatching the gate from inside.

"Malfoy," she replied, her tone just as icy.

He stepped around the gate and held his wand up to her. "In third year, on the day that stupid hippogriff went missing, what did you call me?"

"A foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach," Hermione said without hesitation, raising her chin, tempting him into an argument.

"Seems you are the smartest witch of our age. You knew it from the get go, hey?" Draco muttered, turning back around and letting Hermione enter the grounds before him. He turned his back on her and slid the lock into place, watching the transparent slither of magic as it sealed the gate back up. "That I was a coward in the making?"

"No, I don't believe in fortune-telling. I couldn't have predicted the future, ferret. I just didn't like you," she thought, turning to him confrontationally.

The two walked up the long drive towards the castle. Hermione was really feeling the heat and looked over at the lake longingly.

"You wouldn't want to swim in it now," Draco said pointedly as he followed her gaze.

She looked at him questioningly. "Why's that?"

"Well Slytherin's common room is beneath the lake, isn't it? One of the walls of the room is completely glass, and shows the whole contents of the lake. The merpeople are at war, and it's messy. I think some sided with the Dark Lord, and others with the Order, and so they're fighting over who should be in charge. But like I said, it's not a nice place to swim at the moment," he shared, the coolness leaving his tone. "I can show you sometime if you like? It's cool in the dungeons."

Hermione was filled with nervousness at the suggestion, but it's not everyday you're offered an opportunity to witness a civil war among creatures of the lake. She looked at him as they reached the steps leading to the main building and asked "Can we have a look now?"

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><p>Authors note: Can't wait to see if you guys like this one!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The merpeople who inhabit the lake were not what Hermione had expected them to look like. With green hair, yellow eyes and grey skin, she could understand why they had requested to be classified "beasts" rather than "beings". To be a being, when you could be a fierce beasts would be a downgrade for such fascinating creatures. They were fearsome to behold, carrying weapons of higher intelligence such as spears and sharp stones attached to club like sticks.

The lake was clearly seen from inside the common room, as the sun shone through the waters. The window that looked over the lake was like in a muggle aquarium with whole wall opposite the entrance covered in glass. The common room was elaborately decorated, in fine furniture of dark woods. There were bookshelves on either side on the marble fireplace and the armchair were plush looking with expensive cushions adorning them. The common room was not cold, like Hermione expected. It was expensively designed, but she supposed many of the students who ended up in Slytherin were of the upper class and this was more home-like for them. There was a gobstone area, many wizarding chess tables and booths for studying on the left, with three doors marked off that side with gold-plated insignia reading "_girls_", "_boys_" and "_toilets_".

Hermione walked slowly into room turning on the spot, taking it in, before walking over to the aquarium window to take in the warzone beneath the waves of the Black lake.

"I don't understand how they can be at war among themselves. In _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ it says that freshwater merpeople are less aggressive than saltwater, disliking war. Why can't their Chief just end it and call order?" Hermione pondered aloud. She stood facing the glass her hands spread wide, trying to see further into the void before her. Draco leaned against the glass beside her, looking down at his cleanly manicured fingernails.

"If I knew the answers Granger, I'd be a mermaid. But I don't speak mermish, and it's ill advised to go asking about it," he answered her sarcastically. He heaved himself off the window and walked over to the fireplace, where the grate held no fire, as it was a hot 20 degrees Celsius.

"It's just so fascinating to me," she whispered, still staring out at the dueling merpeople.

"Well what do you plan on doing with your life then? Sounds to me like you should join the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, if you find this all fascinating," Draco joked, enjoying the way Hermione's bushy hair seemed to grow in size as she thought on a deeper level.

Hermione turned to him sharply, her face showing surprise.

"What?" Draco asked, turning around to see if someone had entered the room, but it was just the two of them.

"How did you know I wanted to work with magical creatures?" she asked quietly, surprised that he was paying attention to what she said.

"Well there was that campaign you started to get wages for house elves wasn't there? Puke or whatever? We used to make fun of you. And you and Potter and Weasel spent plenty of time with my old house elf, the one who helped you steal my wand," Draco remembered.

Hermione walked over to where he was standing and sort of just stared at him for a while. Draco stared back with as much curiosity as she did.

"You're different, Draco," Hermione whispered. Their eyes bored into one another and without conscious thought they drew closer to one another.

"You're not an annoying nitwit after all, Granger," Draco replied. He stood with his hands in his pockets, when what she had said sunk in. He rocked back on his heels and exclaimed "Hang on! Did you just call me Draco?" Draco was pulled back to his senses and stepped away from Hermione. "What the hell is going on? Merlin's beard, you're Hermione Granger! Why are we alone, and in my common room of all things! You're good, I'm bad. You're brave, I'm a coward! We can't be friends. What the hell was I thinking?"

Draco paced around the room, disgruntled to say the least. Hermione remained where she was; she too couldn't understand what had possessed her to cause her to want to hang around with her boyfriend's archenemy. "I should go."

He stopped pacing and stared at her, torn as to what he wanted. He couldn't lie to himself about the fact that he enjoyed her company; he was alone at Hogwarts, the only Slytherin to volunteer his time to rebuilding the only place that brought him happiness. He was lonely, and Granger was kind. He had noticed her always fighting for equality; part of him hoped she would take pity on him and become a companion. He knew they were both of equal intelligence, and he knew they would always have things to debate. When she dropped her books in front of him, he'd been alone again and he was hungry for kinship.

"Look, Hermione, I-"

"Malfoy, I have a boyfriend. And you hate him," Hermione stated. She was tense, in unknown waters. A year on the run hadn't prepared her for what her heart would want.

"What Weasley doesn't know won't hurt him. There's no way in heck I would want to date you, I just don't have many people to hang out with, and I'm here for another month before I return to school so it'd be nice for some company. If you're interested," He said quickly. This was all very out of character for the Draco Malfoy that Hermione had grown up with.

She looked at him and offered a small smile. She was a Gryffindor after all, and she did like adventures. "Alright, you have yourself a deal."

She swung out her right arm and held it firmly in front of Draco. Draco took it, and shook it with the power of an elite. He couldn't help but notice the feel of electricity shooting up his arm from her touch. "Friends?"

"Friends," she said.

* * *

><p>Draco and Hermione worked their way out of the dungeons to the Great Hall, where the afternoon sun was shining through the open doors, bringing in the heat with in. A crowd of people gathered around a tired looking Professor McGonagall, wearing an inconspicuous assortment of muggle clothing. The crowd was being paired off by McGonagall and assigned different areas to go and tackle, preparing for September the 1st, which was only three weeks away. Hermione and Draco joined the group unnoticed by the others around them, mostly filled with teachers and Dumbledore's Army. Coincidentally, Draco and Hermione were last to be paired.<p>

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger, I'm glad I caught you both. I wanted to thank you for all your efforts in helping us return the school to its tiptop condition. However, today we won't be repairing anything. I have a surprise for you both," McGonagall burst out, barely containing her excitement. Hermione and Draco looked at each other questioningly, before turning the looks on their professor.

"A surprise?" Hermione asked.

"Congratulations! You are this year's Head boy and girl!" McGonagall beamed at the two of them, which wasn't an expression they had come to expect from their usually stern, no funny business Head Mistress.

Joy filled Hermione. She beamed back at her professor and squeaked out a "Really?"

Draco smirked, a look of smug self-righteousness formed upon his face. "Seems you and I are stuck together, Granger," he tormented, his eyes glinting.

"Yes well, Mr. Malfoy, I hope that won't be a problem. Especially now that we've added a new addition for eighth years to stay in, including a dormitory for yours and Miss Grangers personal use," McGonagall indicated sternly, returning to her usual professional self. "After much deliberation, the heads of houses, and myself settled upon you two to lead the school, and now more than ever, inter-house unity is the most important yet. Now if you'll follow me, I'll show you how we will be running the school for this year coming."

McGonagall turned on her heel, her robes billowing out behind her, and she strode purposefully towards the grand staircase. "Your living quarters will be in the west wing of the second floor. This way you will be near the staffroom, great hall and hospital wing". She climbed two flights of stairs swiftly for a woman of her age, the nineteen year olds following along her silently taking in what she was saying. She rounded to her left and strode towards the hospital wing, the clock tower drawing closer. She stopped between the clock tower and the hospital wing next to a blank wall with a torch on it and faced Draco and Hermione.

"Now this year at Hogwarts will be like no other before. We will no longer be having students living amongst their houses," McGonagall paused to let them take this in. As Hermione opened her mouth, in what McGonagall was sure would be a string of questions she held up her finger, silencing her. "Now you will have many questions, I am sure. Students will still be sorted by their houses and sit with their houses at meals, but they will now live mixed in with other houses by year. First and second years will be living in what was once Hufflepuff house; third and fourth years will be living in Slytherin, Fifth and sixth years in Gryffindor house, and Seventh years in Ravenclaw. Each dormitory will have 8 students, two from each house. As Heads you will need to know every password and maintain order amongst them. You are closest to first through to fourth years in case they need assistance immediately, as no prefects will be living in their quarters. Any questions?"

"How are we supposed to patrol such a wide spread of age groups? Surely the eldest groups will be the most difficult to control?" Draco asked first, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"From fourth year we will be having prefects now, and there will be four of them. As each year group goes up, we will add one prefect from each house. Therefore there will be 4 fourth years, 8 fifth years, 12 sixth years. There will be no seventh years due to them studying NEWTs. There will then be 24 prefects in total, and you and Draco of course."

Minerva didn't pause to wait for any more questions, and had hoped by doing this she was demonstrating to the unlikely duo that they would have responsibility and would be expected to find their own footing. She pulled out her wand and tapped the flaming torch, and it turned blue. She turned back to the two and asked "Are you ready to see your new homes?"

Hermione and Draco looked at one another and exchanged a glance, one that told the other that they were both excited to see how this would pan out. Draco spoke up on behalf of them both, while still looking at Hermione, with something more sitting in his eyes. "We sure are, Professor."

* * *

><p>Authors note: Happy New Year! I hope you like how this one went. It's a lot of setting the scene, but I hope you like the direction it's taking. I'm on holidays at the moment so I plan on uploading quite often (I return to Uni at the start of March). Love Kathryn.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Professor McGonagall lead the way into the eighth year living quarters, her pointed hat brushing against the top of the passageway as she walked. Draco let Hermione go before him in a gentleman like way, before the passage sealed itself up behind them. Hermione was grateful for the coolness of the passage, and she ran her fingertips along the edge of the wall as she walked. The hallway opened into a large common room that was filled with purples and greens, which was common in the wizarding world. The green wasn't the Slytherin green; it was more forest like in shade.

The room was "L" shaped with the hallway opening into the first part. From the entrance you could see a homely decorated fireplace with little ornaments sitting on the mantle, which was to the right. The walls were filled with posters of quidditch teams and famous witches and wizards, with many portraits hung about too. There were clumps of couches and love seats strewn about the room with coffee tables and lamps that mismatched in a homely way throughout the main part. To the back of the room was big windows with window seats that showed off the landscape and the quidditch pitch in the distance. The floor was layered with different colors and patches of rugs that added warmth to the large room.

The second part of the "L" was entered via a large arch and was ornately decorated. Inside were four round tables with study lamps. There were books stacked on display cabinets lining the walls. Inside the cabinets were many objects, including some muggle trinkets. The area was clearly set up to be for the use of studying.

None of the three said much as they looked around, occasionally giving compliments to the room. They were spread out far from each other, but once they had uncovered what there was to see, they met at the end of the "L" where the study area was, and McGonagall stood with her back to three passageways.

"These areas are the girls and boys dormitories, along with a passage that leads to separate gender bathrooms. It's charmed so that neither gender can enter, because I know what you nineteen year olds are interested in these day," she said, a smirk on her lips. "Now there are no rules against… frolicking, per se. But we will try to dissuade it. Every male will share one dorm, and every female will be together in the other. The rooms will accommodate for how many students sign up to return. We have already had everyone in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw request admittance. Of Gryffindor we have Miss Patil, Mr. Finnigan and Mr. Thomas. From Slytherin there will be Misses Bullstrode, Parkinson and Greengrass. The only male returning will be Mr. Zambini. So that's about 35 or so, which is a decent size. I must say I am proud of how many have wanted to return."

"That is a decent amount, isn't it?" Hermione remarked. They didn't make a move to have a look down the passages, knowing there wouldn't be much to see. She leant on the edge of the table watching what McGonagall was doing. Draco leant beside her and their elbows touched. He was cool to the touch, despite his suit in this heat. He'd taken off his jacket back in his common room before leaving and had rolled the black sleeves of his dress shirt up. Minerva flicked her wand and opened the wall of windows, as a slight breeze had picked up bringing the cool air off the lake inside.

Unbeknown to them, McGonagall was taking in the new way the two were interacting. She had not expected the two of them to get along so well, and had expected a harsher atmosphere. She had doubted their ability to lead the school in house unity, but was glad she had asked Draco to let Hermione in today. She needed the two of them to cooperate.

"Now, you two have your own separate wing off the main common room that is for your own personal use. You are not permitted to have more than one guest each into your common areas. If you'll follow me…"

She walked over to a hanging fern in the far corner (the fern was clearly magical because the branches swayed despite there being a breeze). This time she reached up and gave a light tug and the ceiling descended, revealing a spiral staircase. "These are your quarters, however I have to attend to other matters. I'll be contactable via patronus if you need me. Oh, and I would prefer to have you both break the room in now, so house elves have brought your luggage from your old dorms into the ones upstairs."

As soon as she showed them how to get in, she left and Draco and Hermione were alone, standing behind awkwardly not entirely sure what to do with themselves. They might have a friendship pact, but that didn't mean they magically knew how to get along.

"After you?" Draco asked Hermione, placing one hand on the small of her back, gesturing towards the stairs with his other hand. Hermione offered a small smile as a blush grew on her face and ascended the stairs cautiously.

* * *

><p>Their private living room was decorated much the same as the common room below. A small potbelly fireplace sat in the corner, with two loveseats facing it. The floor was covered with rugs, and the walls with portraits. There was only one round table that was smaller and had two pretty lamps light on them. Windows surrounded the room, and the sun could be seen falling lower across the horizon, casting long shadows. Hermione thought of what it would be like to show Ron the romantic view, and shook her head. Ron didn't like romanticism.<p>

She stood close to Draco, and noticed again the sickly pallor of his skin. She thought about asking him about it, they were friends now, were they not? But she decided against it. The sunset was far to idealistic, and could make the situation and the electrical contact hard to control. She turned her gaze around the room, drinking in her now home.

Draco turned to her and couldn't help notice that despite her bushy, uncontrollable hair, Hermione looked beautiful in the light cast by the sun. She wasn't looking at him, he thanked Merlin for; he didn't know if he could contain how he wanted to touch her again. He padded away from her, over to the only part of the room that wasn't covered with windows but instead a door.

Behind the door another staircase led upstairs, the only exit from the room. Clearly this was where they slept. He mounted the stairs and heard Hermione's quiet steps behind him. The stairs continued upwards, but he stopped at a side door. It opened out into another round room that was basking in the sunset. The room was open with many windows dressed in sheer white curtains. Draco hooked a finger into his collar, trying to loosen his tie. It was the bathroom. It was immaculate. It was _shared_.

"Well, looks like we are most definitely shacking up together Granger," he muttered, looking around the pristine bathroom. It was fitted with a double basin, a pool sized bathtub (like the Prefects bathroom), an open shower that was really just a faucet on a wall, and a toilet.

"Oh, wow," she breathed quietly. She ignored how her heart raced a little at what Draco said; she wrote it off as nervousness due to sharing a bathroom with a man. It could have been anyone and she would have had the same reaction. "Do you prefer morning or evening showers?" she asked seriously.

Draco outright laughed at the serious look on her face. "Really Granger? That's what you're most concerned about? My showering habits?"

"Well, I'm an only child. I've never shared a bathroom with a man before," she bubbled, her Gryffindor bravery fading away. She was definitely not experienced in this. "I'd prefer not to run into you indisposed." Her gaze fluttered over him body before she quickly looked away. She felt hot, and it wasn't because of the weather.

"My my Granger, aren't we the little innocent," he grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I take pride in my purity, Malfoy," she asserted, lifting her chin. She was challenging him.

"Well, you wouldn't be you it you didn't, now would you?" he badgered, mirth in his eyes. "I shower in the evenings, after quidditch practice."

"Perfect, I shower mornings," she stated matter-of-factly. She moved back to the door and walked up the stairs further. "Coming?"

He followed behind her seamlessly for someone who looked as ill as he did. At the top of the stairs was another white-sheered covered window, along with two doors. The door on the left had Hermione's initials engraved in cursive on the door, the one on the right showed Draco's. "Let's open on the count of three shall we?" Hermione smiled; she was excited to see how McGonagall had decorated her quarters. Draco smirked sarcastically and rested his hand on the handle. "One… two… three!"

They swung open their doors and looked inside eagerly. The rooms were immaculate. They both housed four-poster beds with drapes. They had a wardrobe and side tables, with a small bookshelf on the wall. At the foot of their beds were their trunks. The rooms were identical semi-circles, aside from the colors. Hermione's was adorned in brilliant golden colors, with one red cushion in the center of the bed. Draco mirrored hers, with silver drapes and decals, and one emerald cushion in the center of his bed. Hanging from hooks on the walls were their rucksacks, robes and winter scarfs. The house elves had done the hard work for them and unpacked.

Hermione grinned a huge toothy grin and exchanged the look with Draco, who merely smirked, hands still in his pockets, always the "cool guy". "This is excellent! I love it! Do you like yours?" she asked.

Draco lifted one shoulder, shrugging. "It'll do," he teased, watching her take in his arrogant body language. "I like the privacy better than listening to Goyle's snoring."

"Well that's always a plus," she retorted swiftly. "Do you know what time it is?"

Draco rolled his eyes and looked at his empty wrist. "Oh, would you look at that? Must be idiot-o'clock."

Hermione rolled her eyes right back and took off down the stairs hurriedly. "I'm hungry!" she called over her shoulder.

He followed at a much slower pace. He liked this new friendship he had going. She surprised him. Hermione was not the big-toothed princess he thought he knew. There was more to her character. She cared for others, and wasn't prejudiced against those who mistreated her. She was mature; she forgave and moved on. She brought a joy to mundane activities like looking at the merpeople's war. He didn't want to think about what the other people in his house would think when they saw their blossoming friendship. But that's the thing; Draco had never had a friend like Hermione. Granted they were only new found friends, but he was glad she was a Gryffindor, believe it or not. She had the courage he lacked; he had the cunningness she lacked. A well-balanced friendship was beginning, and he couldn't wait to see where it will go.

"Wait for me, Granger," he muttered, taking the stairs casually but swiftly behind her, fixing his sleeves as he walked. "Don't go leaving me behind."

* * *

><p>Authors note: The next chapter will have some new POVs, so I can't wait to see what you think! Love Kathryn<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ronald Weasley's heart raced from adrenaline as he run to keep up with the red-haired woman who was his partner, Fay Dunbar. She dove to her left just in time as green shoots of light flashed past where she was standing. The muggle alley was dark and stank of an unpleasant odour, much like urine. Ron shoved his wand arm under his shoulder and threw some purple stunning spells behind him.

"We have to get out of here Weasley!" she called as she ran athletically, jumping smoothly over a tipped over trashcan.

Ron grinned behind her, keeping up and soon beside her. "You read my mind!" he grinned, grabbed her arm and turning on the spot.

They reappeared in the centre of the training room, and both turned to grin at one another. The action was a thrill, even though it wasn't real. The alley was simulated; they were preparing for their final test before they could become fully qualified aurors.

"Well done Arrow and Bow, you demonstrated good co-operation and are becoming well attuned to one another's defensive and offensive tactics," Kingsley Shacklebolt stood in the middle of the training room, hands clasped behind his back, face determined. "However, the mission was not accomplished. Can you tell me what you learned about your attackers, to help you capture them for future purposes?"

"They favoured unforgiveable curses," Fay stated, standing in an at ease position.

"This means they were likely death eaters, or people into the dark arts. We would charge them with treason, and disarm them, bringing them into the Ministry's custody," Ron specified, also standing in rank position.

"Good. Dismissed." Kingsley turned away from them and turned to the next pair to be trained, sword and shield.

Fay faced Ron, her grin still stretched wide. She was finally doing it; she was going to be an auror. She held out her right hand to Ron, and he took it firmly in his grasp.

"I think a celebration is in order, don't you? Lets go find a bar and drink to a job well done," Ron said as he still held Fay's hand.

He noticed her freckles, like his, scattered across her skin, evidence of her joy in playing quidditch. He noticed her blue eyes that sparkled green in certain lighting. He noticed her strong yet slim figure. He noticed her chin length hair that swished playfully when she crooked her head. He noticed her perfect teeth. Ron noticed a lot about his partner. He enjoyed her company. She didn't make him feel at though he was letting the team down. She included him and valued his ideas. He was not in love with her. But a very large part of himself wanted to call her his. But sometimes he'd turn to her and recall a memory that didn't involve her, such as the time he sacrificed himself for Harry to win the life-sized chess game, and realise he wanted to share it with Hermione, not Fay. And it was in those moments he realised how much he loved Hermione, and how one day he would marry her.

* * *

><p>The sun shone through the open window, carrying the cool morning breeze with it as Hermione woke from her disturbed slumber, flashes of the past cropping up into her mind: Bellatrix standing over her; Yaxley chasing her down; Greyback gnashing his teeth at her. She only slept dreamlessly when Madam Pomfrey gave her a dreamless elixir, but too much was harmful and can cause a person to loose an ambition to dream at all, and she'd had her share for the week, so this night she didn't sleep.<p>

It was her first night spent in her new dormitory. She had gotten her photographs and schoolbooks sorted yesterday evening, and now she felt peaceful as she looked up at the gold surrounding her. Her new home was lavish, and it felt familiar. It was as though she was home in her house in Bloomsbury with her mother and father nearby pottering along before they went to work in their practise. In the muggle world she was upper class; her father owned his own practise and their home was a well-decorated townhouse. But Hermione was not a snob; she was not prejudiced and new how lucky she was. But to be in a room that was so homely decorated felt nice.

Hermione was defined, she felt, by her greatest weakness. Her inability to dream a future for herself that wasn't practical was what limited her; she would never be an idealist. She knew what she had to do: a job in the ministry, be head girl, get married and change the way wizards treat others, particularly the minorities. But there was no room for living, not really. If things weren't planned out exactly or didn't follow this plan, she was scared she would end up back on the floor of Malfoy mansion, having a knife piercing her left forearm repeatedly marking her as she was.

She let her eyelids open again as she had closed them with the thoughts of the future. She lolled her head to the side and gazed outside the bay window, over the grounds towards the quidditch pitch. The sun was rising over the edge of the distant mountains, bringing a cool light that filled her inside. She breathed in deeply, but it did little to remove the sadness holding onto her ribs. The nearby clock tower chimed half past six, and she sighed and threw the covers off herself.

Her bare feet hit the floor and soaked in the cool it emitted. She grabbed her towel and toiletries hanging on the inside of the wardrobe door as she walked out the door, taking the steps lightly to the bathroom where she smiled and pushed open the large doors to take in again the splendour of her private bathing facilities. While the bath looked inviting she padded lightly over to open shower and hung her towel on the hook.

Hermione was dressed and ready by seven, smelling lightly of lavender shampoo. Donned in converse shoes, denim shorts and a tee shirt she was greeted by a half asleep Draco as he lounged in the eighth year common room, his leg thrown over the arm of the chair he was sitting on and his head slumped back, trying to sneak in some last sleep before they got to work.

"Good morning," Hermione chirped, cheery despite the sleepless night she had.

"Are your nightmares a regular thing or just a once off occasion? Because you have a pair of lungs Granger," Draco muttered, eyes still closed.

"Not that it's any of your business, but actually they happen every night. I take a dreamless potions four times a week," Hermione curtly replied.

He opened his eyes and peered at her. "What exactly do you dream about?"

"Don't push your luck Malfoy; I haven't even told Ron what I dream," she smirked, playfully pushing his feet off the arm with her leg as she walked out. "Come on, busy day."

The day continued much the same as those before it: fix the school. Thankfully most of it was repairable by magic, such as vanishing the piles of rubble in the Transfiguration classroom, or repairing the cauldrons that were squashed when a wall collapsed on it. The days continued much the same for several months, lives continuing on in a dull monotone of chores and training, until September dawned upon them, and Draco and Hermione found themselves apparating to Platform 9 and ¾, hands clasped, ready to begin their duties as Head Boy and Girl.

* * *

><p>The Platform was already a swarm of colours as the two stood with their hands clasped so tightly together their knuckles were white. Draco's grip was strong and determined and Hermione looked up at him against the streaming sunlight trying to read what he was doing.<p>

"Can I have my hand back, Malfoy?" she teased, her other hand covering her brow from the light. His hand was firm and strong, despite the noticeable shallowness of his cheeks. Months of well eating wasn't encouraging him to become healthier looking, and Hermione committed this thought to memory for a late night confrontation in their private common room, which was now clearly lived in.

"I was just contemplating a replacement for you. One similar to Pettigrew's perhaps? I've come to like this hand. It's small and crushable, just how I like my objects," Draco smirked, squeezing her hand in demonstration. Hermione cried out in mock pain and jabbed him in the ribs until he realised her. "No fair Granger. I guess you can have your hand back. I mean, I already have a collection of them at the mansion."

Hermione grimaced and Draco grinned, dropping her hand. "Alright, lets go help some first years. I'll deal with the criers, you deal with the luggage."

They split up and conquered the imminent problems, succeeding in getting every student on the train by 11 o'clock, barely leaving any time for them to arrive at the front Prefect's carriage before the new hordes of prefect's assembled.

"They aren't going to like this," Hermione muttered, one hand on hip, one hand thrown into her hair. "They are not going to like this."

"Chill Granger. I'll tell them the go. They already hate me, so what's a little more hate for the messenger?" he sat down beside her at the very large round table, and gave her knee a squeeze.

"This will change the way the school functions for life. It's never happened. Soon they'll be sorting us into couples to make the wizarding world grow. Imagine how they will take this? Eighth years will be fine, and first years, but sixth years? Seventh years? They hate other hous-"

"Chill Granger. They'll have to get used to it. It'll be fine," he said, phlegmatic about the whole situation. "We've overcome worse things."

The compartment door opened, and a horde of people flowed in, from all houses and young ages. Hermione didn't know these students. They weren't people she'd gotten to know. She hoped that together, she and Draco could earn their respect.

"Good morning," Draco smirked, hands shoved into his pockets. His cheekbones became more pronounced and aristocratic like when he sat cavalier and authoritative. He addressed the group:

"Miss Granger and I," he looked at Hermione when he said this, "welcome you to the team. This year is the most important year of Hogwarts history: how will our generation cope after a war as terrifying as this? Professor McGonagall and the other Professors have worked tirelessly along side us to restore the school, but it's the way we as prefects dictate proper behaviour that will be expected of the students that of the utmost importance.

"This year, there will no longer be houses."

He paused and let the sink in. The twenty-four students seated around him all opened their mouths at once and began to protest, but Hermione held up a silencing finger.

"If you look around the table you will see there are four fourth year prefects, eight fifth years and twelve sixth years. If you behave in a respectable manor you will be prefects until you graduate," Hermione said.

"In a few years time Professor McGonagall will look back over the arrangement and return it to the original way, if we as houses can learn to co-exist in a friendly way.

"As from today, students will be sorted into their houses at the feast tonight, and will eat with their houses, and attend classes with one other house, but they will no longer live with their entire house. First and second years will live in what was once Hufflepuff house, third and fourth in Slytherin, fifth and sixth in Gryffindor and seventh in Ravenclaw. Returning eighth years will have a separate common room, where Draco's and my quarters are.

Hermione continued, resembling Professor McGonagall. "Furthermore, within each dormitory there will be inter-house unity, in that they will have 8 students, with two from each house. We will not tolerate any attacks on one another, and so have placed a no underage magic barrier upon the dormitories, so that no hidden bullying or duelling can occur. The common rooms are free game, however will be monitored closely by you."

Draco sat looking at his nails while Hermione talked and squinted at any body he muttered under their breaths, but when he realised she had finished her long-winded spiel, he continued the meeting, handing out rosters and answering the stream of questions. He could get used to this team thing he and Hermione had going on.

The train began to lose steam and the windows outside grew dark as the Hogwarts express pulled into the station, and the students unaware of the changes boarded thestral drawn carriages, as both Draco and Hermione could now see what death had shown them.

* * *

><p>Professor McGonagall had delivered her award winning speech sharing the same news Hermione had just hours before, but much more eloquently. The sorting was easy. The hard part was getting the students to dormitories they had never before been to.<p>

Hermione and Draco were responsible for the safe delivery of the eighth years to their new quarters, and the prefects of Hufflepuff showed the first and second years to their new dorms and so on.

Rounding into the west wing, Hermione and Draco lead their classmates towards the glowing torch, and showed them how to enter, with the flame turning blue. Their classmates were in awe as they walked into the cosy right-angled room and made many remarks of how pleased they were, despite the nervousness of everyone. Hermione stood on one of the chairs and called for their attention, Draco standing closely beside her on the floor.

"Welcome back!" Hermione grinned, which was followed by a loud cheer from the uniformed eighteen year olds. "It is so good to be home, and with you all again. Just some house keeping things before you can settle into your dorms. McGonagall charmed the dorms so neither gender can enter the opposite genders dorm. Draco and I have a separate heads dorm. Please don't kill each other, but all the girls will be in one dorm, and all the boys in the others. I think that's it. Anything to add?"

She looked down and Draco and he raised the corner of his mouth slightly, before adding "Each Wednesday night will be communal night. Hermione and I have decided for the sake of the new wizarding world, we as the next generation will need to become more than acquaintances. So every Wednesday at 7pm, after dinner, we will be playing muggle board games."

People looked ready to protest at the idea of getting to know one another, and Pansy Parkinson was about ready to puke. She looked all queasy and pale, and moaned to Draco about how unfair and improper it was. Draco paid no attention and offered Hermione a hand down from her chair and gave her another smile, which she returned.

"Well Miss Granger, I think it's time to call it a day. Do you agree?"

Hermione gave his hand a squeeze and released his grip. "I think so, Mr Malfoy."

"He was a devil, a fox, a thief, but the only thing he stole was her heart."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I am so sorry it's been a while since I've uploaded, but here's the next chapter. I can't wait to begin delivering some cliffhangers and game changers.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: This chapter might be a trigger for some, please be careful.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Hermione sat in the bathtub that first evening of classes with her head in her hands, her whole body wanting to cry, but numbness prevented her from feeling anything but alone. She missed Ronald. She longed from someone to hold her and rock her to sleep, someone who would fight off the nightmares and calm her spirit. She wanted a dreamless sleep that wasn't medicated. She wanted someone to realise she didn't want to live her life emotionless any longer.

Her uniform was soaking, clinging to her bony frame as she hugged herself. The warmth of the water was supposed to be a solace, but now she felt trapped. As soon as dinner had ended, where she hadn't eaten, she fled behind tapestries and up hidden staircases until she was alone, in the bathroom fighting off the thoughts of how difficult it would be for someone to drown them self. She turned on the boiling hot tap, sat on the step and waited for the water to cover her as to make her feel as though she was being held. Her shoes became tight and she felt like they were helping hold her together.

Time seemed to slow, and what felt like an hour was in reality merely minutes. The water levels rose to her waist, and she pushed off the step and fully submerged in the heat. She floated along the surface, her bony and scarred skin sticking to the air. Her tie felt like a noose and she enjoyed the feeling, and then thought about had sadistic the war had made her. She felt purposeless; useless in the retribution she was supposed to bring to the school.

She drew her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at her temple. She closed her eyes and prayed a silent prayer.

"_Stupefy_," she whispered.

* * *

><p>Draco pushed on the door, panic rising in his chest. The stairway was flooded and steam rose up around everywhere.<p>

"Granger!" he cried, panicked at the ominous scene of water that lay before him.

It was half an hour after dinner and he'd only just returned from assisting first years to their common rooms, who were lost and confused as to how to get to bed.

Water trickled down the stairs into their common room, soaking the carpet at its feet, and he panicked as he remembered Hermione's ghostly look at dinner the night before. He recalled he dazed state; how she walked and talked like she was in a dream. And it did feel like a dream, coming home to the school. Weren't they supposed to be graduated by now? Earning a living? Instead death had followed them for a year, haunting them. Taunting their sleep.

He ran at a speed that had been lost to him since fifth grade; he climbed the stairs three at a time and reached the source of the boiling water, barred from entry by a heavy set door- the door to the bathroom.

"Hermione! Are you okay? Hermione, please, answer me!" He yelled so fiercely. He had to protect her. He was pressed against the wooden door, trying to get as close to her as possible, banging on the timber with his palm. "Hermione please." A small sob escaped his lips as the door broke the threshold, and he fell into the room.

The water was deep at his ankles, warm like an embrace. In the centre of the room was the pool. And floating in the middle was Hermione, her lips blue and stiff.

Draco ran and threw himself into the bathtub and brought Hermione into his arms. She couldn't die. She was his only friend. His light these last couple of months.

There was no breath in her lips as he pulled her to his chest. He pushed her hair out of her face and looked into her vein-traced eyelids.

"Hermione?" he whispered. "Can you hear me?"

He looked at her for what he saw. She was cold, despite the heat. She was blue and stiff. She was fully clothed and on the brink of death. He grabbed her waist and pulled her to the edge of the tub, gently but efficiently. He climbed up beside her, slipping as he looked at how her hair clung to her head, flat and unlike the natural way he knew.

"Stay with me Granger," he whispered. He tilted her chin back. He placed his hands on her sternum and thrust down with the largest force he could. Again and again and again. Her mouth was devout of colour, and he pinched her nose and covered her usually rose pick lips with his and blew into her mouth with the air capacity of an opera singer. Once. Twice. Compress her chest. Compress her chest. Breath, Brea-

Hermione coughed and rolled to her side, water left her mouth at a force so strong, it was like magic was helping her. Water tumbled out of her mouth for so long, Draco was sure it would be able to fill the usually empty tub.

Hermione lay on her side, breathing deeply. Her eyes were closed but the veins were fading. Draco leant over her, and pushed more of her hair out of her face.

"Hermione? It's okay. I'm here. I'm not going to leave you. I'll fix you. I'll make it all better," he spoke, so quietly Hermione wouldn't have heard her from the other side of the room. But he was so close to her. He leant over her and thanked someone, some cosmic being, for her survival.

"I'm going to carry you to bed, okay? I won't leave you." He pulled her into his arms, her body carrying more life than minutes before hand. He scooped her up and cradled her head and knees. He sloshed to the stairs and dripped the whole way, up to her room where he toed the door open and he laid her down on her curtained bed.

"We need to put you in clean clothes, Hermione," he gently said. "Is it okay if I change you?"

She nodded her consent, and he paced over to her chest of drawers, squeaking as he trode. He uncovered panties and pyjamas, with some socks, and turned back to her, where she lay with her eyes closed, chest heaving, still slightly breathless. He noticed a purple bruise forming on her chest where he pushed life back into her silent heart.

"I'm going to change your top first," he told her softly, reaching out and unbuttoning her school shirt. He tugged off her tie, realising she still wore it, and went back to the buttons of her see-through top. He worked her arms out of it and got her free of the fabric, tossing it aside. "I have to take off your bra, Hermione. I'm sorry but it's hurting your skin. It's all red from it."

She opened her eyes to a squint and looked at his earnest look of completely safe intentions. He was going to fix her. He looked into her eyes so brown and sad, and a tear slipped down his cheek without permission. He rubbed it off. "I need to take it off."

Her voice was harsh and raspy when she said softly "It's okay Draco."

She sat forward and his hands wound behind her bareback and undid her clasp. As soon as the bra loosened a little she aid back down, breathless again from the exertion.

Draco slid the straps down her arms and averted his gaze as he exposed her chest. "I'm sorry."

She looked at him again tiredly, barely awake. "It's okay, Draco. I need your help. You need to look, I get that."

His eyes were shiny, pooling tears. He felt like he was violating her, as though this was a sacred moment in the making of Hermione's future life. He felt as though he was intruding into a part of her life that was shaping the women she needed to become. He turned to her pile of clothes and retrieved her singlet from the pile. She held her arms up in the air, and Draco slid the fabric down her arms. He helped he lean forward and pulled it the rest of the way down. His fingers skimmed parts of her he felt disgusting for touching, but she reassured him with a small, grateful smile that it was okay.

He turned to her feet and untied her black shoes, slipping them off one at a time, then her thick socks. Now her feet were bare, all that remained was the waist-below clothing. "Hermione, you need to stand love."

He helped her stand, and she held onto the wooden post of her bed, her knuckles so white. She was swaying slightly as Draco unzipped her skirt and it slipped to the floor. He tugged down her panties and helped her step out of them; he kept his eyes cast away the whole time, using touch rather than sight. He grabbed her hand and led her down the end of the bed to the other post, away from the pile of soaking clothes. She held onto the post as he slipped on her panties, then her warm pyjama pants. She sat back in bed and he scooped up her feet and pulled her last remaining item on, her socks.

"I need to sort some things out, and then I'll be back, okay?" he asked, waiting for her to confirm if it was okay.

"Thank you, Draco. You saved my life," she confessed, eyes closed and hair still wet.

He picked up her wet clothes and shoes and went back down the stairs. He dropped them on the landing floor of the bathroom and went into the bathroom, where he turned off the still running tap. He drained the bath, and used a hot air charm to dry the floors of the common room and bathroom. He then turned the charm on Hermione's and his wet clothes and dried them, before putting hers in the dirty clothes hamper. He quickly went up the stairs, back into Hermione's room.

She weakly patted the bed beside her, and he lay down next to her carefully, now dry. He dried her hair, and combed it as he lay there.

Draco Malfoy vowed to always protect Hermione, and he told her this as he combed out the last knot from her long tangled hair.

"Draco?" Hermione asked quietly, turning to face him. "Will you stay with me tonight? I'm scared to be alone. I won't sleep otherwise. I need you here. I know we are just new at this friend thing, but you're the one who was here for me. I needed someone, and you were there. So will you stay here?"

"Of course Hermione, I vow to protect you, and that means at night as well."

She looked down at her hands and bit her lip; looking up at him she said, "Will you hold me?"

"Are you sure Ron won't mind?" Draco asked.

"He would want me to feel safe, and you make me feel safe."

That was enough for the two friends to turn the lights out. Draco stripped off his school wear and climbed under the covers in his trunks. He wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her up against him. She wrapped her arm around his waist, laid her head on his strong shoulder and fell asleep immediately. That was the first night she slept without dreams for a very long time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Hermione wasn't ready to face the day; that much she was certain of. Yesterday's catastrophe rolled through her mind as she lay in her four-poster bed, fighting off the morning light and the sound of the too happy birds. She breathed deeply trying to give herself her usual Gryffindor courage, when she smelt that familiar smell of the man who'd been living with her these past few months.

Her eyes flew open and she turned to look at the sleeping Slytherin who had saved her life, although she had been certain she wanted it to end at the time. But then last night, not a single dream. She tried to remember if she had consumed her potion, and realised she hadn't. Draco Malfoy had saved her life, and given her a dreamless sleep too. She smiled softly as she looked down at him, and didn't fear the repercussions of looking so closely into the young man's face.

She sat up, to better look at him and she really looked. She took in the curve of his aristocratic nose, and the faint pink in his lips. She examined the colour of his eyelids and eyelashes, pale like the first rays of the sun. His cheekbones were high, and sunken from malnutrition for a year. His jaw was strong and prominent and his forehead was kissed with the first traces of wrinkles, no doubt from years of a sour outlook on life.

Draco's mouth curled up into a smirk and he slipped his eyelids open. They didn't say anything at first, but Hermione's heart thumped from being caught out at such an intimate inspection of his face. Her cheeks flushed, but Draco and Hermione looked into each other's eyes a little longer.

Draco broke the spell and rolled over, throwing the blanket off of him. He swung out of bed, wearing only his trunks, and Hermione watched him pull on his pants and then button up his shirt. He buckled his belt and tied his tie, before pulling on his shoes.

He turned back to Hermione and looked a little longer. He didn't see her the same way anymore. Since he realised Hermione was haunted by demons so terrifying to her that she would rather end her life, Draco had to look at her, really look at her. She wasn't the same and he had to get to know this knew woman.

"What do you want to do?" he asked her.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. The woman in the bathtub yesterday didn't feel like the same woman she was now. She hadn't been haunted last night, and it was because of Draco.

"I want you to sleep with me every night," she replied, her cheeks blushing a deeper red and her eyes downcast from embarrassment.

"I can do that," he breathed, leaning across the bed so he was but a breath away.

Hermione looked up and was once again startled at how close he was. This new Hermione was not used to being in awe of the Slytherin. But she was. She wanted him to want her. She wanted to walk down the halls with him and have all the girls stare in envy. She wanted things beyond anything the old Hermione would have dreamed of, but instead she pulled away and stood up. She walked to her wardrobe and withdrew her uniform. She undressed in front of Draco, her back to him, and got herself appropriate for a new school day. He'd already seen her naked anyway. Ready for the day the two left Hermione's room, which felt full of secrets, and went to breakfast.

The two walked into the great hall together, which was nothing new to them. However to the students of Hogwarts this was scandalous. They smiled at one another before separating into their own house tables.

Pavarti Patil stood and waved to Hermione as she walked down the table, beckoning her to go and sit with them. She sat with Seamus, Dean and Ginny, the Gryffindor remnants of Dumbledore's Army.

"What classes do we have today?" Seamus asked Dean, turning to him confused as Hermione plonked herself down next to Ginny.

Ginny gave Hermione's knee a squeeze and a smile, and Dean pulled out his timetable. "We have Transfiguration, then Defence, a free period and then Muggle Studies."

"Oh, I have Arithmacy in stead of muggle studies," Hermione smiled. She loved subjects such as Ancient Runes and Arithmacy. This felt familiar. This felt good. It's amazing how a good night's sleep can help. "How is Harry going?"

Ginny screwed up her face. "He's going so well, and I'm stuck here."

"Did you get quidditch captain?" Dean asked eagerly, leaning around Hermione to ask the red head.

"I did," she smiled. "Something to make sticking around worth while. Especially now I live with the stinking Slytherin witches."

Hermione frowned at the comment, but didn't say anything. Prejudice would always remain, but it needed to be beaten. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

"They transfigured all my thinks pink! I hate pink!" Ginny exclaimed, clearly annoyed by the act. "It took me all of 4 hours to turn everything back."

"Gin, that's hardly the end of the world," Hermione sad, matter-of-factly, scooping some scrambled eggs onto her plate.

"You can say that 'Mione, cause you like _your _Slytherin," Pavarti said, her face also showing her distrust in the Slytherins. "I'm the only Gryffindor in my dorm! There's 10 Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, who we all know are weird, and then there's Parkinson, Bullstrode and Greengrass, who keep sneering at me. I'm scared they'll jump me, especially after how Parkinson tried to turn Harry in in May!"

The bunch of nineteen year olds all had bitter expressions and all tried to jump into conversations of abuse to the other houses, when Hermione banged her fist down on the table, causing the nearby plates to jump.

"Would you all shut up!" she screeched. Conversations nearby dropped immediately and everyone turned to look at the livid witch. "Don't you get it? If you can't learn to like one another, the instability of our community will crumble! Our children will grow up in fear, and might not even have a school to come to. I know I would hate to send them to a place where they're picked on by others purely because they think differently and have different traits!"

Even the teachers were watching the young witch as she gained momentum. Professor Sprout sat with her mouth hanging open, lettuce hanging from it. Hermione rose to her feet and everyone in the hall was silent as she gave a speech that would echo in the halls forever.

"Do you know what caused that damn war in the first place? Do you remember how it felt to live in fear of your own sanctuary? How easily you forget that it was prejudice that caused hundreds of our peers and friends to die! I myself call Hogwarts my home, and I know nearly every student here can agree. We need to befriend one another. We need to eliminate this hate. How similar are you to those in your house? Look at these Gryffindors beside me! We are all different colours and sizes. We have different _blood status_ and different ambitions. Some of us grew up reading Cinderella, others the Tales of Beedle the Bard! It disgusts me that we are so ready to hate one another. Everyone ultimately wants to love and be loved," a tear slid down her cheek and her voice wavered, but she brushed the tear off her cheek and stood up taller. "My point is, everyone is different and unique, and yet the people who sit at the tables beside us we choose to hate purely because they wear a different colour. Ask yourselves this: have you not been educated by amazingly powerful wizards and witches, all who come from different houses? Look at Dumbledore. He was Gryffindor. And Snape! A Slytherin. Professor Sprout a Hufflepuff, and Flitwick a Ravenclaw! You all need to seriously reconsider why you are so ready to hate one another, when in reality our species is dying out."

Hermione fell into her chair, her speech ended. The hall was silent, before Professor McGonagall stood to her feet and slowly applauded the young witch, a smile beaming off of her face. The other professors, one by one, stood and applauded the brightest witch of her age. The sound of chairs scraping and feet shuffling lifted Hermione's head, as she looked around herself. Every student had stood to his or her feet. Every student, from every colour and house was standing and smiling at Hermione. Every student drew their wands and pointed them high into the air; white lights lit the cloudy sky above. They were tributing Hermione Granger. They listened and understood. They were ready for a change.

Time dragged on as Hermione stood and looked at the hall around her. Her students were ready to embrace one another. She was unaware of time, until Professor McGonagall waved her arm and her cat shot out the end of the wand. Patronuses shot from each way and what, and soon the room was full of light, greater than the halls had ever seen. Cats and goats and birds and horses chased one another in happiness. Hermione's own otter shot out of her wand and joined the fun. Many of the Slytherins watched in awe, unable to conjure one single happy thought. Hermione urged her otter their way, and it danced around a familiar blonde man, who laughed and raised his arms high, trying to touch the creature. It soared back towards Hermione and danced around her, and Draco followed it, knowing whom it belonged to.

It belonged to the woman who was stealing his heart.

* * *

><p>"Miss Granger!" a voice called from behind her. Hermione stopped where she was walking with Ginny and turned, waiting for who ever it was to catch up with her. "I wanted to thank you for your speech. I am excited to see the change in my students."<p>

Professor McGonagall pulled Hermione into a hug so tight; Hermione felt her head would blow off. She let do and stepped back, looking into the eyes of the curly haired witch. "I wanted to propose something to you, if that is okay?"

Hermione nodded and urged the Head Mistress on. "I want to start a new extracurricular class, and I wondered if you would teach it."

"Oh?" was all Hermione could say, she was slightly shocked at the proposition.

"Today, when the students let off their Patronuses, I realised there is a great need for students to learn to defend themselves in such a way. Patronuses, while not only defensive, are also amazing communication tools, and I want my students to be equipped to send for help if they need it. I want you to teach them to our grade eights. They will learn in class, but will unfortunately not receive the one on one training Harry gave some of you select students. I want you to train them."

Hermione was shocked but honoured with such a praise and felt herself bursting out an excited "Yes!" Professor McGonagall beamed and clasped her hands.

"I am so glad. I will be in touch with you later," she smiled, her Scottish hints resounding in her voice. She turned and her cloak spun behind her, giving her a dramatic exit.

Hermione beamed and ran up her friends who were waiting excitedly, and all offered congratulations to the witch. The group started walking, but Hermione was again called away, but this time by a particularly familiar voice that knotted her stomach.

"Granger!" he drawled, hands in their familiar pockets.

Hermione walked over to him and they walked on together, falling into step. "Lets go down here," he pointed down an abandoned corridor. "I want to talk to you alone."

They followed down the unfamiliar corridor until it opened up into this untouched courtyard that's trees moved and swayed with the breeze. They walked over to a bench and perched on it beside one another, their forearms touching.

"Your speech was wonderful. I was worried you're taking on to mu-"

He was cut of by Hermione cold hand holding onto his, her other found its way to his cheek and they looked into one another's eyes, grey meeting brown. Hermione moved her face closer to his, and looked down at his lips, before closing her eyes softly. Draco leant forward carefully, and placed the softest kiss on her lips. Her eyelashes fluttered and she opened her lips softly. His lips moved along her calmly at first, before a desire so strong overwhelmed him and they were kissing deeply, hand moving to waists and necks.

Hermione pulled away and smiled at him, a smile so full of joy.

"Bloody hell, I just kissed Draco Malfoy."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ronald Weasley stared at his partner, curiosity lighting his face. He looked at her slightly in awe. They were in the practising rooms, versing simulations of dark creatures they would come across. Many groups surrounded them, including Neville Longbottom, versing their own beasts. They were learning to communicate without speaking, knowing the others habitual response to a given situation before it happened, so as to save themselves time in any given scenario. Their final test was tomorrow, and the pair would either pass together, or fail together. Individuals could not qualify.

Fay was a happy girl, Ron was learning. She was doing what she was passionate about, and that passion radiated out of her face. She smiled with an uncanny resemblance to a woman who knew she could take on the world. She was not fearful, but portrayed every essence of confidence; she was courageous in any situation. And that's why Ron was so curious as to what her boggart would turn into.

The two stood in a defensive stance, Fay slightly in front of Ron. Her hair was braided in two, parted down the middle and looking even shorter than usual. They wore black, skin fitting clothes. They were especially designed by George, which allowed a wizard to be protected from most curses when struck. Once absorbed they would become invisible, and their attacked would not be able to see them.

Legs apart, leaning slightly forward, wands in their hands and expressions confident, Kingsley nodded and the trunk holding the _thing _that brought terror was opened.

It span around and around, shifting and changing and shimmering until it decided upon Fay's greatest fear. Before her, stood none other than Fay herself. Yet this girl looked _evil_. Her hair was a dark red, and long and matted. She wore black leather, in a promiscuous way that Fay would never dress. And under her arm was a trophy. Around her neck was medals and adornments of success. She was bruised and haughty in appearance, and on her forearm was none other than the dark mark.

The real Fay lifted her arm steadily, muttering under her breath. "I'll never be like you. _Riddikulus_!"

The other Fay _popped! _ And all of a sudden she was pink everywhere. She wore a big princess dress, the kind with frills and tulle. Her hair was candyfloss coloured, and had turned into poodle-like fair. Her trophy was now a Chihuahua, yapping pathetically in a pink handbag. Ron laughed aloud, and Fay did too, and confused, the boggart shifted and began to change.

Ron gulped. It was his turn.

Bellatrix Lestrange had been dead for months now, killed by the hand of his own mother. And yet, it was like nothing had changed since the day they were abducted into the Malfoy Manor. She stood their, looking sinister in her usual psychotic way. She sneered at him, and raised the small dagger at him, the one that had marked his beloved's upper extremity, and the knife that had killed little Dobby. Ron began to panic inside. _It was supposed to be a spider, _he thought to himself, grasping at strings that didn't fit. Bellatrix could never die. She was too dark for that. She was coming for him, a _blood traitor_. Bellatrix's lip curled, as she took a shaky, almost sadistic step towards him.

"Ron! She's not real!" Fay cried out, trying to bring Ron back to reality. Adrenaline was shooting through his veins, trying to determine whether he should run or fight. Courage and bravery poured into him, and an almost idiotic way, and he raised him wand at the woman who haunted his dreams.

"_Riddikulus_!" he hissed between his teeth. The boggart shimmered and struggled, before it began to morph into a clown. Her hair the Weasley red, her nose red and clothes traditional and silky. Ron smiled and Fay laughed aloud. The boggart squealed, and jumped back into the trunk, which snapped shut once inside.

Ron took deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He turned to Fay and shrugged a little. They knew what the other felt in that moment, as they had spent every minute together for the last six months. Fay's greatest fear was that she would succumb to the darkest evil and succeed in her desires through that, like other wizards she went to school with. Ron was terrified of what felt like unfinished business with the deceased, most evil woman he had ever come across.

He was thankful tomorrow was Saturday, as it was a Hogsmeade weekend, and he longed to see the woman he wanted to protect with all his heart.

* * *

><p>Hermione sat in Charms staring at her candle, as she ignited it and extinguished it with the silent flick of her wrist. Nonverbal charms, while NEWT level, were something she was well accomplished in. She sighed and sifted through her thoughts. She had kissed Draco Malfoy. And she had enjoyed it. Not to mention she had almost died, at her own hand, none the less. Was she depressed? She seemed to think not. She was just overwhelmed. She was confused as to her feelings. She missed her boys, especially after spending more than a year alone with them, fighting with them and saving the wizarding world.<p>

But she felt like that was all she would be. That was all she would amount to. Hermione Granger, the once golden, now merely silver woman who felt stuck in her life. She didn't want to be at Hogwarts right now, although at the same time she really did want to be at Hogwarts. She just felt stupid, like she was stuck; like she wasn't moving forward in life, but reliving the past every night in her sleep. Except that one night where she hadn't dreamt without drugs to help her. The night where she felt like she could live forever.

That was her first night sharing a bed with a man. Hermione was pure, and believed in the sanctity of marriage. She believed one should wait, to give their whole soul to their spouse, especially since in a wizarding marriage one literally ties their soul to their partner. She was innocent in her actions, and saved her kisses for moments where it was so overwhelming she had to. Ron had been raised on the same beliefs. His parents had waited, and look at the loving home they built for their family.

Guilt consumed her. Ron had been her best friend for years, since she was twelve. She had lived her whole life with him there; she had discovered her identity alongside him, and he was woven into the fabric of herself. But the brunette couldn't help but wonder whether her identity of her childhood was the same as it is now. But she hadn't had that urge to kiss him since the battle of Hogwarts. Their Last Kiss, the kind you feel in every cell of your body, had been when Ron had been accepted into the Auror program and they had celebrated at Grimmauld Place with their friends. They would kiss cheeks briefly upon greeting, but that was the most of it. And yet she had grabbed Draco and felt a passion she hadn't experience since then.

Hermione ran her fingers along her lips, totally engrossed in her thoughts. Her candle was burning still, and she hadn't tried to snuff it out for several minutes.

Not at her own hand, the flame went out and Hermione was brought back to the present class, her last class for the week. Confused she turned to Pavarti who shared her table, but the witch was turned around gossiping with her sister. She frowned, trying to figure out who did it. She scanned the room, and caught the eye of a handsome man who had dark skin. He grinned at her cheekily, and raised one eyebrow, asking a question Hermione wasn't sure she understood. She looked as Blaise Zambini questioningly: _what did he want_? She was suspicious as he levitated a note towards her.

Scrawled on a torn off corner from his text book (which annoyed Hermione as he was ruining a purposefully good book), was two words.

_I know_

Hermione's blood heated as she looked at the words. _Know what? _She was panicking, as there were many secrets she hadn't shared with anyone. What could Malfoy's best friend know? _Oh. _Hermione's stomach dropped. Tomorrow she was going to see Ron in Hogsmeade. She didn't want him to know. She hadn't made up her mind yet what she was going to do. Hermione scrawled on the back of his note and sent it back to him. He read it and smirked, agreeing across the room to what Hermione had written on the paper.

She was about to talk to a snake about her infidelities. She felt weak.

* * *

><p>Hermione walked slowly from class, looking around her for a sign of the Slytherin. She'd asked him to meet her after class. She felt an unfamiliar hand slip into her own, and she jerked backwards, her hand flying out of Blaise's grasp and hitting a second year with the back of her hand. She muttered an apology and scanned the nearly empty hallway, before she grabbed Blaise's sleeve and pulled him behind a tapestry.<p>

"Oh, this is cosy. Want to repeat what happened with you and dear _Draco _the other day?" he teased, being coy towards the girl, who was like a fox caught in the headlights.

"Did he tell you?" Hermione squeaked; she was beyond nervous.

"Well we are best friends Granger," he drawled, looking around him and the tiny alcove, poorly lit. Draco and Blaise were similar in their manner of speaking, much like Harry and Ron, Hermione surmised. "You can calm that racing heart of yours Granger, your secret is safe with me. I just wanted to introduce myself properly. Thought we could be friends. Another little trio for you. And since Draco would be Ron, which would irk him, I'd be Potter- King of the Wizarding world. Sounds like fun to me."

He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes. It was a bit of a relief really. She wanted more friends, since Ron and Harry were gone. "Fine, we can be friends, but some ground rules first. Don't tell anyone anything I tell you, unless I myself have publicly discussed it. That's it. Oh, and you have to participate in inter-house bonding."

Blaise shrugged his shoulders. "Draco is my only friend here, and oh look here, I am inter-house bonding. Just made friends with a frizz ball," he teased, ruffling her hair. "And just so we're clear, I'm team Draco."

Hermione rolled her eyes and poked her head out the tapestry, before leading the way back to their common room. Zambini whistled and draped his heavy arm over Hermione's shoulder as they made their way back. It would've annoyed her, yet she was enjoying not walking around the place alone. She spent too much time in her own company, and her thoughts were running in circles. She was grateful for companionship, but not only that, tomorrow she would see Ron, and she was a nervous wreck.

* * *

><p>AN: you won't believe how hectic my last couple of weeks have gone. My mac broke, and then my half finished chapter didn't save and my grandpa shut down my computer, so I lost that and had to re-write it. To make up for it, I'm going to upload two chapters today. Thank you to my new followers and favouriters. I hope you like it. One of my reviewers expressed interest in hearing more about Ron, so I chucked in some of that. Love you!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Hermione barely slept that night, tossing and turning, the prospects of today looming over her. She had come with absolutely no solutions. Rolling over she plonked her face into her pillow and blew loudly, before rolling again and sighing. She heaved herself out of bed and stomped down to the bathroom, frustrated at herself. She rinsed herself off under the shower, and tucked a fluffy white towel around herself as she faced the mirror.

She screwed her face up: her reflection staring back at her showed the restless she felt. Her eyes had dark circles, and she was pale. Her bones stuck out more, and she realised if she grew any more anxious, she would continue to loose critical weight. She gathered some strength, and pulled her mind back into focus. She wanted to look good for Ron. She loved him. She just also went around kissing other guys. Well not multiple, just one. Another sigh.

She got to work on her hair, and realised she wanted something new. Calling aloud to Kreacher, she summoned him, with a _crack_!

The elf bowed lowly and smiled at the muggleborn, it's ears flopping against his head. Kreacher was changed since they first met. He doted on Hermione, and to boot he kept himself clean and healthy now that his new master, Harry, was kind to him. Regulus' locket shone brightly on his chest.

"Kreacher, may I pay you to cut my hair please? I want it chopped off. A short look- sophisticated but still young. Can you do that for me?" Hermione asked kindly, clutching her towel to herself.

The elf bowed his obedience and standing upright insisted on not taking any money for the task. "You are too kind, miss. However I pride myself on being humble, and wish not to take your money."

The elf, elbow height to Hermione, clicked his fingers and produced a stool. He ushered Hermione onto it, and began working on her request. With quick and practiced fingers, he was finished in ten minutes, and Hermione beamed at her new appearance. New hair, new Hermione.

Her hair fell in soft, tamed waves that just touched the top of her shoulders, looking choppy and styled beautifully. It framed her face perfectly, highlighting her nimble chin, and Hermione felt truly feminine for the first time in a long time.

Thanking Kreacher, who disapparated with another deep bow, Hermione peered closely in the mirror again. She was happy with her hair, however she set to work on her dark under eyes, covering them with some concealer and highlighting her cheekbones lightly with powder. Five minutes later she stepped backwards and admired her handiwork before racing back up the stairs to get dressed. Breakfast was in fifteen minutes.

She pulled open her closet and chose a pair of ankle-grazer jeans, faded from age, along with some canvas sneakers and a plain white top. She felt causal but confident, before she left her room, running into Draco at the top of the stairs.

They smiled kindly to one another, slightly awkward and unsure how to act. The blonde pointed to Hermione's hair and said, "I like your new look."

"Thanks," she smiled. "Harry's house elf cut it for me just then. I was sick of the old look."

"It suits you. Make you look more normal, without all that hair," he teased. He wore designer jeans and a plain grey V-neck shirt.

The two fell into step and headed down to the great hall, sharing small talk the whole way, unaware of their surroundings. Occasionally they would bump into one another and Hermione was filled with nerves, which confused her. It would be like a bolt of electricity coursing through her, pulsing and making her flush. She wanted more of it, but they reached the great hall and parted, having decided they would meet after breakfast, and walk to Hogsmeade together.

Breakfast flew by as Hermione chatted with Ginny, who was excited to see Harry again. The pair ate lightly, Ginny casually dressed in maroon shorts and a white Peter Pan collared shirt, her hair up in a bun on her head. The girls looped arms and headed down to the lawn, waiting for Blaise and Draco to join them.

"Are you excited to see Ron?" Ginny asked, wiggling her brows suggestively. Hermione laughed and swatted at her.

"You know what we're like, Gin," she giggled. "We haven't done anything, you know that perfectly well enough, because if anything did happen you would be the first to know."

"Without the gory details, of course," the red head beamed, laughing lightly. "He is my brother after all."

"Back at you with Harry," Hermione shivered, slightly grossed out about the thought of Harry and Ginny canoodling. "Yuck."

"What's this about Potter?" Zambini called, taking big strides as he walked down the hill to meet the girls, smiling hugely at the women as they waited for the Slytherins to join them.

"He's a great kisser, and I can't wait to kiss him today," Ginny called back, enjoying the happiness coming from the boy she'd never really interacted with before.

"Enough of the details, Weasley," Draco yawned, ruffling his hair as he wiped at his face, stopping before the Gryffindors. "I don't want to loose my breakfast."

Ginny poked her tongue out at him. "Better avoid us then!"

She laughed and skipped ahead, dragging a happy, shorthaired Hermione along with her. They walked in pairs to the village in peaceful silence until reaching the main lane where they stopped, looking around. Harry and Ron were sitting on a bench talking seriously outside Dervish and Banges repair shop, and didn't notice the unlikely group standing mere metres from them.

Hermione snuck a nervous glance at Draco, before walking over to her best friends. Plastering a smile over her face she stopped short of them and coughed lightly.

"Excuse me, do you know where I might find two males who may or may not be some of the most missed men in all of Britain?" she asked. The boys looked up and both broke into huge smiles, jumping up and pulling her into a group hug. It was a loud reunion, and the threesome broke up, huge smiles on their faces, breaking into quick exchanges, before Harry looked past Hermione, searching for his beloved.

Spotting her standing there nervously, he walked over slowly before breaking into a run and scooping her up, planting kisses all over her face, spinning her around as she laughed loudly, her arms thrown around him.

Ron looked over at the two fondly, happy for his sister and his best friend. His smile faded quickly as he noticed Draco and Blaise standing uncomfortably off to the side, hands in pockets making small talk. Colour flooded his cheeks, but before he could start an argument, Hermione laced her fingers with his.

"Ron, please don't start a fight. Draco and Blaise have changed. They're good guys," Hermione breathed, determine to have the two sides of her life get along cohesively, if not friendly. If Ginny could like them after only finding out about them that morning, surely the others could too.

"What are they doing here, 'Mione?" he asked roughly, his voice tight with anger. She gave his hand a squeeze and took a deep breath, preparing to explain their newfound friendship, when Blaise interrupted.

He stood handsomely, holding out his hand to his rival. "Weasley, great to see you."

Ron looked at his hand carefully, before shaking it twice, grasping too hard to be friendly, but Blaise took it in his stride and maintained civility. "Zambini."

Harry and Ginny sauntered over, holding onto each other so tight it was as though they were afraid they would loose the other if they let go. "Harry, you remember Blaise Zambini," Ginny sang; joy seeping out of every fibre of her being. The men shook hands before Ginny gestured to Draco, "and Draco Malfoy." Harry shook Draco's hand carefully. Ron and Draco merely looked at one another, refusing to touch.

"Malfoy. Why are you with Ginny and Hermione here?" Harry asks carefully, wisely trying to assess how he should be reacting, rather than puffing up like Ron has done. The black haired man itched at his unshaven face, making him look older than the eighteen years he actually was.

The atmosphere felt formal, as Draco replied as causally as possible, "Well you see, Hermione and I share a dorm now, and we have become friends. As Blaise is my best friend and Ginny Hermione's, we all decided to walk down together." He shrugged. "No big deal."

Hermione smiled at the blond, her hand feeling hot in the hand of Ron's who was clearly battling between acceptable decorum and tearing Malfoy's head off. He looked down at Hermione from his height of six foot three. "You guys are friends?"

She stuck her chin out. "Yeah, we are."

The street began to fill with students as it became closer to ten in the morning, and the six had caught their attention, with people stopping to whisper at one another in gossip. "We should get going," Ginny said politely, smiling at Draco and Blaise. "We'll meet back here at five to walk back, shall we?"

Her accent dripped with formality; clearly she was trying to ease the passers-by away, by breaking up the group. Without saying goodbye, the group separated, and the Gryffindors walked down the cobblestone street, towards the Three Broomsticks.

"I like your hair," Ron muttered in Hermione's ear, tugging a strand into his fingers and breathing in the smell. "I've missed having you near by. I can't believe it's been three weeks."

Hermione smiled, enjoying the company of the strong man she admired. "Thank you. Kreacher cut it for me this morning," she hummed, drinking the sun into her skin, before it would disappear into the coolness of the winter. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand, but her heart sank when she realised it didn't give off the electric sensation a certain aristocratic man, who was on the other side of the village did. Switching the direction of her thoughts she asked, "How is training going? How is Fay going?"

They reached the entrance to the pub, and conversations halted as they found a table in the middle that seated four. Harry dragged Ginny up to the counter and ordered their drinks as Hermione sat beside Ron. He dropped his hand onto her knee, sitting close to her as she reminded him of her questions.

"Oh! Training has been great. Fay and I sit our final test on Monday. We're getting really good at the whole 'reading each others next move' thing," he smiled fondly, giving Hermione's knee a squeeze. He tried not to notice how her short hair reminded him of Fay's red locks, passing the thought off as normal, seeing how he saw Fay for sixty hours a week.

"Does she have a boyfriend?" Hermione asked casually, looking down at her nail beds trying to act causal. But a part of her felt possessive of her boyfriend. The part that wasn't wrapped up somewhere else. All those 'we' and 'ours' had began to bring out her territorial side.

Ron shook his head. "She reckons she is waiting for some guy to notice her."

Her eyebrows shot upwards. "So she likes someone? When did you find that out?"

"Oh about two weeks ago. We went to a pub after training one day, but she didn't say who it was," he said with ease, relaxing back into his chair.

"So you went out drinking with her? Was it like a date?" she asked quickly, heat growing in her cheeks as her mind with off on it's own; she was slightly embarrassed by her possessiveness, of how her mind liked to wander to places where Ron left her for another prettier girl who was your traditional woman, and liked serving her partner, the kind of woman Hermione was not.

Ron laughed. "No way, love," he joked, running his hand further up her leg for emphasis. "You're the only gal for me."

Hermione's insides twisted. She was caught in a moment of turmoil, unsure of how she felt.

"Can we talk somewhere, please Ron?" she asked quietly, pushing his hand off her leg and standing up. Ron looked up surprised, not reading Hermione's thoughts the way he was so easily able to with his partner. She grabbed his hand, just to reassure him she wasn't mad.

He stood wordlessly and led the way out, holding the door open for her. He caught Harry's eye on the way out. They walked into the cool of the morning and rounded the side of the pub to a less busy street, and stood under the shade of an oak tree.

"Is everything okay, beautiful?" Ron asked nervously, reaching out to touch her, but she stepped out of his reach.

"I love you, Ron," Hermione whispered quietly, her eyes downcast, as tears pooled in her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked straight into his bright blue eyes. "Do you remember when you dated Lavender and we weren't talking because I was so angry at you, but then you drank that stupid potion and nearly died, and started saying my name in your sleep?"

He nodded slowly; he felt extremely uncomfortable, as he had no idea where she was taking this conversation. Hermione didn't know where it was going either, but she was relying on fate to sort this one out, since every time she let it dictate her life, rather than herself, it seemed to work out, even though she was sceptical at its existence. "I use that moment as my happiest memory when I conjure a patronus," she whispered so quietly, her words were almost lost to the wind.

Ron stepped forward and reached out tentatively for her, and this time she let him pull her against his broad, warm chest. He tucked her newly cropped hair behind her ear gently. Drawing strength from her, he took a deep breath and let it go slowly. "Come for a walk with me."

It was more of an order, than a question, but Hermione didn't mind him taking the lead. She was tired of leading everything. She wasn't sure of the conversation she had planned, but she did mean what she said. She loved Ron, and would always love him. He would always protect her, but her heart thumped at times with a longing for another. But she refused to tell him anything about that until she was sure herself of what she felt for the Head Boy. She did, however know she was sure she loved Ron deeply.

He lead her down the lane and over to the look out steps, the one that lead up the side of the mountain, which overlooked the valley. The climb took about five minutes to finish but as they reached the top Hermione looked around. It was empty, as students all frocked to stores for now. The Lookout was a ledge that was about three metres deep that jutted out the side of the mountain, and had the most beautiful view. The valley and lake stretched out before them and it took Hermione's breath away.

"Hermione." Ron's voice was calm, collected but serious. She turned to him slowly, drinking in the features of his face: the crookedness to his nose, the strength in his jaw and the fullness in his cheeks. Ron reached his hands out and held onto both of hers, facing him front on. He breathed deeply and looked at their joined hands, his eye lashes kissing his cheeks as he did. Tears slowly filled his eyes, and fell one by one onto the backs of Hermione's hands. She was startled by the direction their walk was taking. She rarely saw Ron cry. She reached out and put her hand on his cheek. He leaned into her palm and took a deep breath. Exhaling deeply, he blew the scent of peppermint toothpaste over her. One of her most treasured smells.

"Hermione Jean Granger. To me you are the most wonderful, trustworthy, gentle woman I have ever come to know. You love all creatures great and small, and will defend even the worst so that they will be treated equally. I have loved you since I was thirteen, but I only truly began to recognise the depth of it as we begun the last several weeks alone. I have come to realise how much I rely on you. You bring calmness to my thoughts and you help me learn and grow. And I could think of no one better for me to spend the rest of my life with," he said strongly and boldly, despite the tightness in his throat from crying. He dropped down onto one knee, as birds flew past, singing to one another in happiness. In slow motion he let go of Hermione's small dainty hands and retrieved from his pocket a single ring.

He looked up at her, love radiating from his face as more tears gathered in his eyes. Hermione's hands flew to her face in shock, as she watched the man who held a piece of her heart hold out an antique looking white gold ring, laced with roses, small diamonds interlinked with all the leaves. Her breath caught in her throat as he whispered:

"_Will you Marry me?"_

Her mind was clear as she whispered a hoarse, "Yes." As she realised what was happening, she said it again, and again and again. "Yes, yes, yes!" Tears spilled down her cheeks as she repeated that one word. That one word that meant everything to the man who had just poured his heart out.

On the side of a mountain that overlooked her beautiful home, with the man of her dreams kneeling before her Hermione cried out.

"Of course I'll marry you, you big oaf!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Draco Malfoy drummed his fingers repeatedly into the bench beside him as he waited impatiently for Ginny and Hermione to arrive. It was ten to five and he and Blaise were not the most patient of men. In their pureblood society, being on time meant arriving ten minutes early, but clearly in the Gryffindor circles things ran differently. He let out an elaborate sigh, which drew Blaise out of his semi-coma, as he napped with his head lolled back and drool pooling down his jaw.

"What did I miss?" he asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He surveyed the area and then he too let out a sigh. "Still not here then? What's the time?"

Draco looked at his left wrist, before replying lazily, "It is two minutes to five. You think they would arrive on time since they were the ones who scheduled this little trip in the first place. There is only so much Hogsmeade I can take."

Draco shuddered. This place was too cosy for his tastes. He preferred grand designs and architecture that reflected affluence. Blaise lifted the corner of his mouth, lethargically smiling at his closest friend. "Do you think she told Weasley, about you know what?"

Draco shrugged. "Hermione is great and all, but I'm not quite ready to put all my eggs in one basket. Plus we never actually talked about it. Maybe she just wanted companionship 'cause she missed the weasel, but then maybe she kissed me because she thinks I'm incredibly irresistible, which lets face it, I can't blame her for."

He smirked widely and Blaise pushed him side ways. "Now there's my Draco."

"He did get lost somewhere along the way, didn't he?" Draco mused. There was mirth in his eyes that brought a new light to his face, and it was at this moment that Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron decided to stroll down the street.

Hermione took in the two men before her (and men they were indeed). Draco was smiling with a true joy, and it brought a jabbing pain into her heart. He was joking around with the man who clearly understood him most. Reclining on the bench with his long legs extended out in front of him, loosely crossed at the ankle he joked with Blaise who sat with his elbows resting on his knees, his head angled towards the blonde. They were the perfect pictures of what life should have been for them. No troubles or worries, with no impending doom following them around in their wake. Hermione smiled briefly at the men who were taking roots in her heart.

Ron squeezed Hermione's waist, hugging her against him so he could plant a soundly kiss on her cheek. Her body responded with the appropriate flush of her cheeks, but it was due to her embarrassment at the publicity of such a romantic gesture. He whispered sweet nothings of excitement in her ear as he clung to her while they walked, but she wasn't really listening. She was processing and calculating her next move. Hadn't she left things up to fate? Was she then therefore fated to be with Ron?

Her trail of thoughts ceased when Harry interrupted them, pulling them into an enormous group hug while cheering loudly and shouting with glee. He was genuinely unaware of his surroundings, which Hermione attributed to the three fire whiskeys he had had in celebration for the announcement of their engagement during lunch. "I am so happy for you both. This is terrific news!"

Blaise and Draco had stood up during the kerfuffle and were standing away a bit, hands in pockets, looking casual but giving off the feeling of being uncomfortable. Blaise, who shared incredible confusion as to what was this supposedly great news, asked, "Err, what exactly is good news? Have we graduated early or something?"

Harry turned around and smiled very openly at the Slytherin. "My best mates here just got engaged, that's what!"

Draco took an internal step back, feeling as though someone had just thrown a javelin into the pit of his stomach. He was wounded with surprise, and everything around him slowed down. He could hear mumbling in the background; could hear Blaise politely congratulate the couple and ask the usual questions one does after hearing such news. _How did it happen? How long were you planning this? What kind of ring is it? _But it was all a blur to Draco, as he stood there numb to his surroundings, unsure as to why such news effected him so painfully. It was just a silly kiss, wasn't it? _Maybe not_, his conscience whispered.

Hermione ignored Blaise's line of questioning, letting her fiancé answer on her behalf. She was scrutinising Draco's reaction, but he showed nothing on his face. It was cold and formal, the typical expression he covered himself with when his guard was up. Without warning his eyes leapt up and peered into hers; their gazes probing into one another's, searching for an understanding but neither could find answers.

Draco stepped forward into the circle, and reached for Hermione's left hand. He pulled her hand up close and examined her ring, ignoring the electricity as it ran up through his fingers and caused his hair to stand on end. Confirming for himself the truth in what was said, he let her hand drop and stepped back, slipping off to the side.

The group was loud as they pulled Hermione's hand around and looked for themselves at the heirloom sparkling prettily on her slim finger, but she was oblivious to their groping fingers as her attention was directed to the blonde who tried to look as discrete as possible. Becoming frazzled from being the centre of attention, she pulled her hand away from the curious hands of her friends. "I think we should be heading back to the castle now. I have rounds tonight and I wanted to get some study done before hand."

The group broke up slowly, each member trying to bask in the happiness surrounding them, however Hermione and Draco were becoming more uncomfortable as time wore on. Ron pulled Hermione in for a kiss before he and Harry bid farewell and disapparated.

It was in this uncomfortable atmosphere that the four students headed back up the path towards the grounds, walking in pairs. Draco fell into step beside Hermione, being careful to avoid her touch. Ginny and Blaise slipped into easy conversation, but the other pair was as silent as the night. Grabbing at what was left of her courage, Hermione opened her mouth, ready to finally tell Draco the truth: that she was trusting in fate to take charge, and that she loved Ron as family and she knew it could grow deeper, and that she wasn't sure what she wanted. But before she had the opportunity, Draco spoke.

"I suppose I should offer a congratulations to the bride-to-be," he said evenly. His eyes were like steel as he looked straight ahead, not daring to look at the Lioness he was so drawn to protecting.

"I just- thanks," she stuttered, tucking a piece of her newly trimmed hair behind her ear. "Draco, I-"

"Hermione I have no expectations from you. You don't need to apologise. I'm glad we're… friends. Getting to know the woman behind the hero has been a great privilege, and I hope we can continue as we were before you gave that speech," he interrupted.

Hermione held her breath as she turned to peer at him. He was not the Draco she thought she knew; she had witnessed the man behind the wealthy darkness. He had not been sorted into a noble house such as Slytherin, simply because he was a Malfoy. Instead he was ambitious in his studies and did a great job at taking care of his school. He was resourceful, and capable of taking care of others. He was not lazy, but cunning. He was a strong leader, like many others in his house, and Hermione admired that in him.

"I don't know if saying yes was the right decision," Hermione confessed, her eyes wide with fear. She slowed her walking, allowing a bigger gap to fall between the two walking ahead. She could think of none other to confess her fears to. "I don't know if I am just doing what is expected of me, or whether I said yes because I love him. I mean I do… love him. I just don't know if that is enough. I don't think I am ready to get married."

Draco sighed, and looked up into the pinking skies as he thought about Hermione's confession. "If hypothetically, you were in the future ten years from now, do you think you could marry him then?"

He looked over at her properly, the first time he had since the morning. He let his eyes roam over her whole face. He so wanted to know the answer, because if it were a yes, if she could do this, he would move on. He would cut her and her brown eyes out of his life and move forward, into the arms of some dim-witted pureblood that liked him for his money. But if she said no, he would let himself hope like he had never hoped before.

They were drawing close to the gates as the pine trees lining the road were thinning, as Hermione stopped walking forward and rested her hand on his arm, stopping him from walking on. Her eyes were swimming in water, fear and timidity written upon her face; she felt nothing like herself. She blinked, and tears fell slowly down her cheeks as she shook her head slowly in answer, _no_.

He reached out and caught a stray tear from the tip of her nose, before he pulled her into him for a hug. They stood holding onto one another, as Hermione's breathing slowed, and her hiccoughs died down. Her head was nested beneath his chin, as he rubbed warm reassuring hands over her back.

"I can't marry him," she whispered. "I want to, but I can't. He's a beautiful man, and I admire him so much, but he's just… not _the _one. What am I going to do, Draco?"

He squeezed her tightly, trying to mush all the Hermione pieces that were falling apart back together. Thankfully they were late to dinner, and no one else was on the path; Ginny and Blaise had continued on, oblivious to the blonde and brunette.

"You give this a few days, okay?" Draco murmured, he would be ashamed of himself if he didn't make sure this was what she truly wanted. He wanted to be a noble man, a person he would be proud of, or more importantly a person _she_ could be proud of. He continued, "And then, in three days time, if you still feel the same, you sneak out and you tell him how it is. But you make sure, Granger. Because if you throw this away and lose it, and then realise it was what you wanted, I would never forgive myself."

She nodded against his tear soaked shirt.

He let go and stepped away from his counterpart, and instead laid his arm over her shoulders, guiding her up towards the candle-lit castle. She slipped her arm around his waist, and leaned her weight into his strong frame. The sun was setting quickly, and by the time they reached the doors the sky was dark.

Letting go of one another they entered the castle. Evading the great hall and instead heading towards their dorms, both were quiet until they entered the empty eighth year common room.

The room had begun to bear signs of living, with books strewn around and unfinished essays lying in waiting on tables. Fires were burning in their grates, and as they set to work on their studies, with Hermione finishing her Charms essay swiftly before beginning her neglected pile of other duties, time dragged on awaiting the beginning of curfew and their rounds.

Hermione hoped she would determine how she really felt for Draco by the time she crawled into bed tomorrow morning. It would be her first rounds with Draco since she had kissed him and she wasn't sure how she would maintain her carefully guarded actions.

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><p>AN: Okay so please please don't hate me! It IS a dramione, and will all turn out in the end. Thank you for the reviews, and hello to my new followers!


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